Los memes como manifestación satírica de la opinión pública en la política ecuatoriana: estudio del caso “Rayo Correizador”

Abstract

Since the emergence of interactive digital communication our perception of the world has changed and has led us to redefine concepts and realities with which we live. Politics is just one of those spaces that have been transformed. The irruption of ICT and social media platforms in the field of political communication are a new object of study. As of 2008, many socio-political and democratic events have drawn attention not only to world public opinion, but also to academia, since ICTs have been protagonists in these events, which have often produced unexpected results, provoked for the use of ICT as an alternative to mass media. In this new dynamic of Politics 2.0, the use of memes has been important because it tests the horizontal nature of social networks and the relationship between citizens and political actors. These internet memes have become a form of citizen expression, with contents often irreverent that question the authority, the symbolic power and stand out within this space in which the so-called Public Opinion 2.0 is built. In Ecuador, the use of memes in the political sphere has revolved around themes and prominent figures such as former President Rafael Correa and the politics of his government. Since the change of command between Rafael Correa and Lenín Moreno in 2017, a series of changes have taken place in the Ecuadorian political scene. The purpose of this study is to analyze the case of the meme "rayo correizador", through an analysis of digital content to explore the use of this as a satirical manifestation of Public Opinion in Ecuadorian politics.